Rotary engine.



No. 888,323. PATENTED MAY 19, 1908.

J. P. FOX. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPTL19, 1906.

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JOHN PIERCE FOX, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

ROTARY ENGINE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN Pinnen Fox, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Everett, in the county of Snohomish, State of Washington,have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention, relates to improvements in rotary engines in which acentrally disposed rotary head provided with teeth similar in shape tothe teeth of a spur gear wheel, are used to form the pistons. Theaddendum of the teeth being adapted to fit a cylinder, and the root ofthe said teeth adapted to roll upon abutments, thus forming an impellingchamber between a tooth, a portion of the cylinder, a portion of thesaid rotary head and a portion of the said abutments cylindricalsurface. The said abutments being driven by the said rotary head andspur wheels secured to the several shafts and adapted to cause the saidteeth to intermesh with a notched or recessed surface of the saidabutments cylindrical surface; in combination with steam admission portsprovided on a anged end-piece, which in a reversible engine is adaptedto be oscillated relative to the said rotary head to cause the saidsteam admission ports contained therein to travel from one side of theseveral teeth to the other, relative to the direction in which it may bedesired to run the engine.

The object of my invention is to construct a rotary engine in which thesteam is cut off economically, and by the use of the reverse mechanismherein set forth, the direction of travel of my device may be positivelyreversed.

Another object is to eliminate the reciproeating parts which does awaywith the wear on al running parts connected thereto, as

. well as other working parts of the engine.

I accomplish these objects by the construction illustrated in theaccompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a transverse section throughthe center of my device showing the abutments and rotary head as well asthe disposition of the exhaust valves. Fig. 2 is a side elevation andfragmentary section through the center, parallel with the aXis of theshaft, showing the manner in which the reverse gear is operated. Fig. 3is a section Specieation of Letters Patent.

Application led September 19, 1906.

Patented May 19, 1908.

Serial No. 335,316.

through the conter ofthe flanged end piece and sleeve. Fig. 4 is an endelevation of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the rotary head. Fig.6 is an end elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a section at 7 Fig. 2,showing the disposition of the ports in the steam chest. Fig. S is aside elevation of the steam port reverse disk.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews in the accompanying drawings.

The rotary head 2 is provided with teeth as 1, which are adapted to forma steam impelling chamber between the said teeth, the said rotary headand a cylinder or casing 19, and the abutments 4 and 5, which are keyedto shafts 13 and 14 by means of the keys 15 and 17. The said shafts 13and 14 are connected to spur wheels 36 which are driven by the shaft 12which is keyed to the aforesaid rotary head 2 by the key 16. The saidrotary head is provided with a counterbore 43 adapted to receive asleeve 42 which is connected to -a flanged end piece 11 having steamadmission ports 7, S, 9 and 10 which teeth 1, which will cause the steamto be admitted into the space between the several teeth 1 and theabutment which is in advance relative to the present direction of travelof the rotary head which will cause a back pressure upon the saidseveral teeth 1, thus stopping the engines progress in that direction.It has been proven not necessary to maintain a steam tight joint whilethe teeth 1 are traveling in the notches 18 as upon further advancing toa point where the addendum 3 of the several teeth 1 comes in contactwith the cylinder or casing 19, and the abutments 4 and 5 come incontact with rotary head 2, the said teeth 1 and a portion of thecylindrical surface of the said abutments 4 and 5 steam chest cover 56.

will form a steam tight impelling chamber and thus the steam is notadmitted until the teeth 1 have advanced to the point above stated, toreverse the engine it is obvious that these ports contained in thecasing will have to be changed to the same point in a reversed positionbearing relation to the said abutments 4 and 5 which is accomplished bya steam port reverse disk 51, shown in Fig. 8, open and close ports as52, 53, 54, and 55 shown in F ig. 7 which is done by means of asegmental rack 33 and a pinion 34 which is connected to a Wheel 35 onthe exterior of a The steam is exhausted when the teeth 1 pass exhaustports 20 and 20', 21 and 22. The exhaust ports 21 and 22 and 20 and 20are alternately opened and closed when the engine is reversed. It willbe seen that when the engine is running in the direction of the arrowFig. 1 that the steam vis being admitted through ports 53 and the steamadmission ports 10 into the impelling chamber (a) and is workingexpansively in the impelling chamber (b) formed as heretofore set forth,and is exhausting in the impelling chambers (c) and (d) through theexhaust ports 20 and 22, the exhaust valves 20 and 24 being closed andexhaust valves 19 and 23 being open.

To reverse the direction of travel above mentioned the lever 3() isconnected to a reverse shaft 29 which is provided with a reverse pin 27adapted to travel in a slot 28 in the shaft 12 and a spirally disposedslot 26 provided in a sleeve 42 which is rigidly se- .cured to or castintegral with the flanged end piece 11, which is provided with the steamadmission ports 7, 8, 9 and 10 adapted to admit the steam as heretoforedescribed and the said reverse pin is thrust to the other end of theaforesaid slots 2S and 26, the exhaust valves 19 and 20, 23 and 24 aswell as the steam part reverse disk 51 which is mounted on the hub 5()and operated by said rack 33 and pinion 34 are then reversed. Viz. theexhaust valve 24 opened and the exhaust valve 23 closed g the steamports 52 and 54 closed and the steam ports 53 and 55 opened by means ofa suitable reversed gear which is accessible from the exterior of mydevice and adapted to oscillate the steam port reverse disk 51 as aboveset forth until stopped by the detent 48 striking the opposite end ofthe notch 49. I do not wish to be limited to exact constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in thisspecication, as I wish the privilege of making such constructivedetailed changes as are within the scope of my patent,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent in the United States, is

v1. In a rotary engine of the nature indiing teeth adapted to interrneshin notches disposed on the cylindrical surface of abutments to form animpelling chamber as set forth, a reverse disk and a flanged end pieceadapted to co-act therewith and oscillated by means of a spirallydisposed slot, a reverse pin adapted to travel in said slot and in theslot-provided in the shaft on which the aforesaid rotary head ismounted, the said reverse pin being rigidly secured to a reverse shaftadapted to be thrust longitudinally the axis of the said shaft by themeans of a lever secured to the exterior of my device substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a rotary head beingprovided with teeth and adapted to form a steam impelling cylinder incombination with abutments substantially as set forth, a flanged endpiece provided with steam admission ports the said flanged end piece incombination with exhaust valves and a steam port reverse disk beingadapted to reverse the direction of travel of the said rotary head,means for reversing the said flanged end piece, exhaust valves, steamport reverse disk, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a rotary head beingprovided with teeth and adapted to form steam impelling cylinder incombinationwith abutments substantially as set forth, a flanged endpiece provided with steam admission ports the said flanged end piece incombination with exhaust valves and steam port reverse disk beingadapted to reverse the direction of travel of the said rotary head,means for reversing the said flanged end piece, exhaust valves, steamport reverse disk, a suitable frame work or casing adapted to journalthe said rotary head and abutments and adapted to support the exhaustvalves and reverse mechanism as well as to form a portion of the saidsteam impelling chambers all substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

4. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a rotary head providedwith teeth adapted to form steam impelling chambers in conjunction witha cylinder or casing and abutments in combination with a reversemechanism embodying a iianged end piece provided with steam admissionports, the

said flanged end piece adapted to be oscillated relative to the teethand rotary head a steam port reverse disk adapted to open and closeports and reverse ports to act in conjunction with steam admission portscontained in the said flanged end piece to admit steam and cut thesupply of steam o in impelling chambers at desired intervals andrelative to the position of the teeth and exhaust ports.

5. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated, the combination of arotary head hav- 1 cated a rotary head provided with teeth, the

addendum of the said teeth adapted to -fit the inner surface of thecylinder or casing the root of the said teeth adapted to formsubstantially a cylindrical surface of the said rotary head which isheld in contact with the cylindrical surface of abutments to form asteam tight joint therebetween, the said rotary head beinor disposedsubstantially higher than the said a utments in elevation to form asteam impelling chamber (c) adapted to maintain the pressure on one ofthe said teeth or the steam impelling chamber (c) to cause pressure tobe applied to the teeth and the said rotary head at all times whenpressure is applied to the said engine a flanged end piece beingprovided with a spirally disposed slot adapted to cause the said flangedend piece to oscillate relative to thel said rotary head and to admitsteam to said impelling cylinder.

6. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a rotary head providedwith teeth, the addendum of the said teeth adapted to fit the innersurface of the cylinder or casing the root of the said teeth adapted toform substantially a cylindrical surface of the said rotary head whichis held in contact with the cylindrical surface of abutments to form asteam tight joint therebetween, the said rotary head being disposedsubstantially higher than the said abutments in elevation to form asteam impelling chamber (a) adapted to maintain the pressure on one ofthe said teeth, or the steam impelling chamber (c) to cause pressure tobe applied to the teeth and the said rotary head at all times whenpressure is applied to the said engine a flanged end piece beingprovided with a spirally disposed slot adapted to cause the said flangedend piece to oscillate relative to the said rotary head a reverse portdisk and to admit steam in said impelling chamber adapted to co-act withsaid' flanged end piece to admit steam through steam admission ports atthe desired point relative to the abutments to cause the steam thusadmitted to act against the said rotary head and said teeth, only whenthe addendum of a tooth comes in contact with the cylinder or casing toform an impelling chamber substantially as set forth.

7. In a rotary engine of the nature indi cated a steam port reverse diskadapted to act in conjunction with a flanged end piece having steamadmission ports, means for oscillating the said steam port reverse diskand means for oscillating the said flanged end piece relative to therotary head and teeth contained thereon all substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

8. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a steam port reverse diskadapted to act in conjunction with a flanged end piece having steamadmission ports, means for oscillating the said steam port reverse diskand means for oscillating the said flanged end piece relative to therotary head and teeth contained thereon, the said steam port reversedisk being provided with reverse ports adapted to open and close portsto cause the steam to be admitted at the desired position at first oneside of the said abutments and in reversing the engine to substantiallythe opposite side of the said abutments relative to the abutmentscylindrical surface which is in contact with the cylindrical surface orroot of the teeth of the said rotary head.

9. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a steam port reverse diskadapted to act in Vconjunction with a flanged end piece having steamadmission ports means for oscillating the said steam port reverse diskand means for oscillating the said flanged end piece relative to therotary head and teeth contained thereon, the said steam port reversedisk being provided with reverse ports adapted to open and close portsto cause the steam to be admitted at the desired position at first oneside of the said abutments and in reversing the engine to substantiallythe opposite side of the said abutments relative to the abutmentscylindrical surface which is in contact with the cylindrical surface orroot of the teeth of the said rotary head, a steam chest adapted tosupply steam to the said reverse ports and admission ports, the saidsteam chest also being provided with a means of supporting the saidsteam port reverse disk.

l0. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated, the combination of arotary head having teeth adapted to intermcsh in notches disposed on thecylindrical surface of abutments and a flanged end piece adapted to beoscillated by means of a spirally disposed slot, a reverse pin adaptedto travel in said slot and in the slot provided in the shaft on whichthe aforesaid rotary head is mounted, the said reverse pin being rigidlysecured to a reverse shaft adapted to be thrust longitudinally the axisof the said shaft by means of a lever secured to the exterior of mydevice.

11. In a rotary engine of the nature indicated a steam port reverse diska flanged end piece co-acting therewith having steam admission ports arotary head means for oscillating said flanged end piece relative tosaid rotary head.

12. In a rotary engine a steam port reverse disk a rotary head, aflanged end piece having a helically disposed slot in the hub thereofcarried with said rotary head, and means co-acting with said slot tooscillate said flanged end piece to reverse the direction of travelthereof.

1.3. In a rotary engine a steam port reverse disk a rotary head, aflanged end piece having a helioally disposed slot in the hub name tothis specification in the presence of thereof, and a hollow shaft andslot provided two subscribing Witnesses. t ierein to receive a reverseshaft and in iit- T ting said helical slot to osoillate said lDangedJOHN PIERCE FO 5 end piece to reverse the direction of travel ofWitnesses:

said engine for the purpose set forth. J. H. JAHN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my M. WALKER.

